Hole sealing device for tires



March 15, 1960 M. B. RoDGERs HOLE SEALING DEVICE FOR TIRES Filed Oct.25, 1957 NV No. V. Qw

JNVENToR. Mqnse B. Rodgers,

ATTORNEYS' HOLE SEALING DEVICE FOR TIRES Mans'el B. Rodgers, Memphis,Tenn.

Application October 25, 1957, Serial No. 692,330

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-15.6)

The present invention relates to a'tool having the general appearanceand some of the characteristics of a hypodermic needle, designed for thepurpose of sealing holes made by nails and'other sharp objects in tires,not only tubeless tires, but also automobile, truck or tractor tiresofthe type including a casing and inner tube.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a needle-like gunor sealing device, adapted to serve the purpose of effecting a permanentsealin tires of the several types noted above, where a hole has beenmade in the tire by Va nail or similar object.

Often, when a nail penetrates a tire casing, initially the nail itselfseals the hole, so that a ilat tire does not occur, at leastimmediately. In such circumstances, the device constituting the presentinvention is intended to be used, and one important object is to providea sealing device as stated which will permit gum, liquid rubber, or anyother suitable sealer to be injected into the tirewithout the necessityof first letting the air out of the tire. Obviously, by'reason of thisarrangement, if the nail or other object is noticed in time, no at willoccur.

Y Summarized briefly, the invention includes a barrel, and connected toand closing one end of the barrel is an elongated needle adapted topenetrate a tire casing. The needle is closed at its outer end, butintermediate its ends has a plurality of small apertures through whichthe sealant is forced.

A piston is rotatable and shiftable axially of and within the barrel,and extending from the piston is an elongated, needle-like elementextending into the hollow needle. Said element has a flat surface,providing a self-cleaning action when the element is `shifted within theneedle. Means is connected to the piston for shifting the same axiallywithin the barrel and also for rotating the same, said means including athreaded shank, threadedly en- Vgaged in a nut-like cap provided at theother end of the barrel, said cap in turn being threaded upon thebarrel.

vAmong other objects ofthe invention are the following:

To provide a device of the type stated which will permit the sealing ofholes in tires, with maximum speed and ease;

To permit the sealing operation to be carried out by a relativelyunskilled person; f

To permit the sealing operation to be carried out withoutrelieving thetire ofv air pressure, so that if thetirepenetrating object is noticedin time, the tire willnot s at; t v. To provide a device as statedparticularly designed to permit the sealing operation to be carried outwith ya relatively small supply of sealant, thus to permit the device tobe compactly made, and vhence capable of storage in a relatively smallarea;

To provide a self-cleaning action within the device, resulting duringthe normal use of the device n sealing an opening; and

' To provide a novel external configuration ofthe tirepenetratingneedle, adapted to flex the material of the y United4 States Patent ICCtire for the purpose of working the sealer into all-crevices about theopening.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claimsappended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout the several views, andwherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view through asealing device formedaccording to the present invention, a portion being left in elevation;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the device, in use duringthe sealing of an opening in a tire, said tire being shown in section; v

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the 'tire-pene tratingportion of the device, a protective needle coverbeing applied totheneedle and being shown in longitudinal section; and i Figure 4 is atransverse section,'stil1 further enlarged, on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, designated generally at 10 is awheel rim, on which is mounted a tire casing 12, in which is disposed aconventional tube 14. Although the device is shown applied to'a tire ofthis type, the device can be applied with equal facility to tubelesstires, as will presently appear.

The device constituting the invention has been generally designated at16, and includes an elongated, cylindrical, constant diameter barrel 18,the outer surface of which is knurled or otherwise roughened as at 20 toprovide a better grip thereon.

At its outer end, the barrel has external threads 22, engaging internalthreads provided upon a cap nut 24 formed with diametrically opposed,radial wings 26.V Adjacent the outer end of the barrel, the wall of thebarrel is formed with a vent opening 27, so that air may enter or leavethe barrel in back of the piston to permit the reciprocation of thepiston within the barrel.

Centrally formed in the cap nut 24 is a threaded open,- ing 28, and saidopening is threaded for engagement with threads formed on an elongatedplunger or stem 30, the outer end of which projects beyond the outer endof the barrel and is provided with a handle 32 facilitating rotationalmovement of the stem.

Stem 30, within the barrel, is engaged in a threaded, axial recess A33provided in a piston 34 the external surface of which is grooved toreceive an O'ring 36 having wiping, sealing contact with the innersurface of barrel 18.

Projecting forwardly from and integral with the piston 3,4 is anelongated needle cleaner 38, extending through an axial bore 39 formedin the venlarged head 40 of an elongated, hollow needleV 42. Head 40 isexternally threaded to engage internal threads provided at the inner endof barrel i3 and is formed with a reduced, non-circular portion 44disposed exteriorly of the barrel to facilitate turning of the head 40into and out of the threads lofthe barrel.

At itsV outer end, the hollow needle 42 is permanently closed, and saidouter end is tapered as at 46 to facilitate the extension of the needleinto an opening formed in the casing and tube14 by a nail or otherobject, not shown.` i

Located substantlally medially between the opposite ends of the needle42 isa row of closely spaced, small apertures 48, said row extendingparallel to the, needle. axis. Said apertures 48 provide outlets for agum rubber sealant, or other sealing material, not shown.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the outer surface of th'e needle isformed with longitudinally extending grooves .50. A pair of said groovesis provided, with the grooves of the pair being diametrically oppositeone another and being transversely curved inwardly as shown in Figure`4.

The grooves S0 extend fully from the tapered end 46 of the needle 42,and terminate a short distance from the non-circular collar portion 44of the needle asbest shown Patented Mar. 15,

tion shown in Figure 1.

inside the tire.

` .ini-Figure 3. 1I'here are two rows of apertures sas-shown inrFigure4, said rows being diametrically` opposite Vone another, the aperturesopening through the vvall of the 4needle within :thegrooves 50, mediallybetween the :op-` As may be further noted psite sides of said grooves.from Figure 4, a at surface 51is formed upori'theneedle e cleaner 38,extending substantially the' full length `thereof, which at surfacepermits the :sealant to `travel into the needle, while atthe same timeVpreventingxthe needle from becoming clogged;

`Asshownin Figure 1, the outer end of the vneedle cleaner is beveled,this arrangement vserving `to facilitate the movement of4 the needlecleaner'into the needle, as willbe `readily apparent.V

When the device is not in use, the Aneedlel isvprotected Vbyia cover 52,of a length and cross'sectional shape cor- ;'responding lsubstantiallyto that of the frneedleltZ'- Thus, the :cover 52 is open at one end topermit 'its beinglittedV over the needle, the other end beingtaperedandft'zlosed` as at 54. The cover 52 is of resilient ,rubber'materiahand in thenormaLunexpanded ,condition of the cover `the inner diameterthereof is slightly less than theouter Vdiameter of the Vneedle 42. As aresult, when the cover is tted ontothe needle, jit stretches somewhat,Vso asto Y it snugly Aupon the needle, thus to etectively lpreventangehen 'A `by inserting needleV ,42` inthe `sealant, land bythen `roy`tating the handle'32'5in a direction to retract the piston,

= intothe ,chamber defined between thus drawing Vthe sealant upwardlythrough the, needle the piston 34 and the head 40 of the needle. Y

Y It is believed apparent that the invention is not neces-` sarilyconfined to the specic use or uses thereof described above, since itVmay be utilized for any purpose rubber from drying within theneedlethrough the provision of an` airtight seal. Y ln use of the device, thebarrel is charged, yforwardly cf'thepiston 34, with a suitable amount ofa rubber gum sealant or other sealing materialof a type that will bondtightly Vto the rubber of the tire, and will dryon exposure to air. Tocharge the barrel with Ya quantity; of sealant,

the cap nut is removed, and the stem and piston'are alsol removed.Thereafter, therparts arefreturned tothe posi- The cover 52V is removed,and the nail iorother object Vis vextracted from. the holes 56, 58formedthereby Yin thetirecasing and-tube 12,14 Yrespec'tively. f Y Y Thedevice-is nowready for use, and `it is merely 'neces-v 'i e sarythatthenee'dle42 be insertedithroughthe holes-56, 58. Then',the stemhandle 32 `is rotated. -Preliminary to rotation of the stem handle,the'needle may be rotated a few times within the 'holes 56, 58 to'insure -that the needle cis fully lthro-ugh the hole in the tube Vaswell as that of the tire, with the openings or apertures 48 disposedfully within the tire.

When the stem handle is rotated two or three turns inra direction Vtoadvance' the piston withinV thebarrel, the sealant will'b'e forced outof the small apertures 48, and lwill coatlitselfirupon the outerAsurface of ythe needle. Then, the device is slowly removed, vwith theentire delow needle communicating at one end with the barrel,

the other end vof the needle jbeing closed and being pointedforextension throughthe hole `formed inthe tire,

said needle havingf'a pair vof diametricallyopposed,longitudinallyfextending grooves formed straightv from end4 l toend'and,extending'lfrom the pointedend of the needle and terminatinginwardly-"from the` tirst named end of the needle,.thelneedle beingformed intermediate its ends with rows of closelyspaced aperturesopening into said grooves to provide outlets for the sealant; and pistonmeans shiftable axially of the barrel fortorcing the sealant throughthe'outlet and including a rod-like needle',

cleaning-element extending intosaid needle, there being va longitudinalpassage defined between theV element and needle from `the barrel to`s'aidoutlet to permit ow of ysealant between the barrel "and outlet',saidelernent `being rotatable inf and infwiping contact withtheV needlethroughout the jlength of the passage.

, `2. Adevicegforsealing a hole in a tire comprising a 'barreladapte'dto hold a quantity of uid sealant; a hollow` needleAcommunicating at `one end withthebarrel,

the -otherfend of the needle being closedand being Vpointed forextension Ithrough the `hole `formed inthe tire, said `needle having apair of diametrically opposed,

. longitudinally extending `grooves extending from the vice beingrotated as itfis pulled out of the tire, in either direction. The wingsV2,6 `on the capY nut facilitate this step `of, the operation.

This leaves most of: the sealant When the needle is *pulled from thetire and is rotated Y in either direction, it will-set up va exingmotion in the wall of the tire and tube holes,rsince it is formed withthe `'cliam'etrically opposed: `grooves,and hence is notcornpletelyfroundgthrough its-Yfull outer circumference, thus causingpart of the sealant to travel back through the hole withinthe-needle,.sealing out dust and `Water through the ventire area `o-fthe holes of the tube andV tire lcasing.

Itshould be noted that the particular location andarl rangement of theapertures S48 is especially designed tor.l ,overcome back pressure `inan inatedtire, Aso that the `sealant will be effectivelyV forced Zoutofthe ismall aperturesr48 into the tire. Y e

The device can of `coursefbe charged with sealant in any suitablemanner. VFor examples a collapsible tube containingla quantity ofthesealant may havea threaded neck eerigageable` in the outerend of thebarrel, so that *the sealant will be forced into the barrel'responsiveto -a Y pointedjend of the-needle andterminating inwardly from the firstnamed end of the needle, `the needle being Vformed intermediateitsends'withrows of ,closely spaced apertures opening into saidgro'ovestofprovide outlets for the sealant; and piston meansshiftable axially ofthe barrelfor forcing-the sealant throug'hgthe outlet and in'- cludingarod-like yneedleV cleaningelement extending intosaidnedle,'saidfelernent having prt ofits circumference cut awaytodefine thereon a Hat surface extending for at leastthe distance betweenthe Voutlets and barrel -in sealf, ant-expellingpositionsoftheelement,xthe element being in continuous `wiping contact elsewhere onits circum- ,ferenc'e with the `wall vof the `needle, Vsaid piston meansbeing :rotatable within `the Abarrel and needle whereby to of l preventclogging offthe needle responsiveto rotation the needle-cleaning elementtherein. Y p' 1 3. A -device Iforsealing a holeinffa `'tire comprising abarrel adapted ito hold a quantity of viluid sealant; a hol` low needlecommunicating with Vthe -barrel and adapted forlextensionthroug'h A'thehole formed inthe tire, said needle having a plurality nof straight,elongated, longi- ,tudinal, external grooves` angularly spacediabout itsci`r cumference, the, needlebeing `of constant Vcross-sectional areaandjbeingof-Acircular external cross-sectional shape,

Vexcept "foritheprovision `of said grooves, over the full length of thegrooves,theineedlefbeng formed 'with at p ing an'outlet forthe sealant;`and piston meansshiftable axially ,of the barrel for forcing the sealantthrough each outlet and includingja rod-like needle-cleaning elementextending `into vsaid needle, ,the cross-sectional area of l collapsingpressure `exerted Vagainst the tube. Alterna` nvelyg-the devicemight'bfe lled trompa can ,of sealant least one aperture opening intoeach groove and providsaid 'elementbeing less .thanthat ofthe needleinterior for' at least that poa'tion of the needle length that extendsfrom the barrel to said outlet in sealant-expelling positions of thepiston means, thus to define between the needle and element a continuouslongitudinal passage for the sealant extending from the barrel to theoutlets.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 546,073Mix Sept. 10, 1895 6 Herrick Dec. 27, 18,98 Wall et al. Mar. 25, 1902Blodgett Aug. 27, 1907 Bronner May 26, 1925 Hanson Apr. 14, 1953 PeachJuly 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS VFrance May 23, 1928 Y

